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National Policies: England

England’s targets for renewable energy and support mechanisms are directly linked to the overall Government Renewable Energy Policy for the UK – that by 2010, 10 per cent of UK electricity should come from renewable sources.

As indicated in the 2003 Energy White Paper, the Government is looking to work with regional and local bodies to deliver their objectives, including establishing ‘indicative’ regional targets for renewable energy generation. Regional spatial strategies should include the target for renewable energy capacity in the region, derived from assessments of the region’s renewable energy resource potential.

Regional targets should be expressed as the minimum amount of installed capacity for renewable energy in the region, expressed in megawatts. They may also be expressed in terms of the percentage of electricity consumed or supplied, or count towards regional targets. Targets should be set for achievement by 2010 and by 2020, using only technologies eligible under the Renewables Obligation. Progress towards achieving these targets should be monitored by regional planning bodies.

Offshore renewable generation projects (such as offshore wind, offshore wave and tidal stream) are not covered by the land-use planning system. However, regional spatial strategies should contain an indication of the output that offshore renewables might be expected to achieve, based on where the electricity comes ashore. Where appropriate, targets in regional spatial strategies may be disaggregated into indicative sub-regional targets, for example by county.